Herne.
Matthias Makowski and Yvonne Karnath from Herne experienced the Corona year in Brazil and the USA. These are their experiences.
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When the corona pandemic spread in spring with full force, the Herner WAZ also reported on two people who were in other countries at the time: Matthias Makowski, head of the Goethe Institute in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and the Wanne-Eickelerin Yvonne Karnath, who has been traveling around the world for around five years. Now the WAZ asked again how the two fared in the following months.
It was a turbulent year, says Matthias Makowski, who was born in Herne, in a WhatsApp phone call with the Herner WAZ editorial team. In retrospect, it has fared him like most other people. When he heard about this mysterious lung disease at the beginning of 2020 – it was while on vacation in Tallin – it was far, far away. He noticed in March that it was getting serious. Makowski can still remember the last carefree weekend with his wife and two children: a visit to the Iguazu Falls.
Then the pandemic hit him and above all the Goethe-Institut. There was a positive deadweight effect for the institute: a digital offensive. The language courses that have now been offered online have been very successful. He himself works mostly in the home office, and is at the institute twice a week.
The Copacabana is a party zone again
But the situation in the country developed dramatically, especially since President Jair Bolsonaro dismissed the corona virus as a minor flu. Brazil is also experiencing its second wave, says Makowski, but there are hardly any restrictions. “The population no longer goes along with it, people want to lead a normal life again,” says Makowski. How it looks: Copacabana is again a party zone. Makowski thinks this is very worrying.
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That summer Makowski was in his hometown of Herne for a family affair. It was a strange feeling. He perceived the mood as a little depressing. Makowski also has the Corona warning app on his smartphone. She reported a total of twelve encounters in Germany – perhaps that also contributed to the fact that he was happy to be back in Brazil.
Exhausted but not worn out
After nine months in a state of emergency, he was exhausted but not worn out. You can feel how important social contacts are, and it is paradoxical that you turn to people by keeping your distance.
When the Herner WAZ spoke to Yvonne Karnath in March, she felt “stranded” in Austin, Texas, because there was no connection to Germany. But that feeling has now evaporated. Karnath is still in Austin – with a small interruption. And she is doing quite well there, as she says. One of the reasons for this is that her American friend lives there. Although the USA has the highest numbers of infections in absolute numbers, it feels safe, according to Karnath, because it moves away from the masses. You keep away from other people as best you can.
Yvonne Karnath feels safe in Austin, Texas
Like Makowski, Karnath was on vacation in Wanne-Eickel for a private matter – only to fly back to the USA. The corona pandemic has not made her wanderlust disappear. Her parents understand this, according to Karnath, they have talked about it extensively, and her parents also know that she is fine in Austin.
Part-time jobs provide security
What Karnath still worried about in March: that she lost numerous customers in the wake of the pandemic. Karnath was previously able to manage these online from anywhere in the world. In the meantime, the situation has improved significantly. So Karnath now has a part-time position at a German company for which she deals with travel issues. Besides that, she continues to work self-employed.
But Karnath’s situation is not quite so certain: Since her visa for the USA is only valid for three months, she has to leave in January. It’s not going to Germany, but to Mexico City. However, the Mexican capital is not unknown to her.
You can read more articles from Herne and Wanne-Eickel here.
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